NI Water is commencing work immediately to repair two bursts on a 30” steel trunk water main that runs between Purdysburn and Ballyhanwood.

 

The repairs will be happening at the Prince Regent Road junction with the A23 Castlereagh Road close to the A55 Belfast outer ring road. Repairs will also be happening at the A24 Saintfield Road junction with the A55 Upper Knockbreda Road near Forestside Shopping Centre.

 

To try to keep disruption to a minimum, all repair work will happen on Sundays. The expected completion date for the repair works is 14 April 2024.

 

Lane closures will be in place on the following dates. Access will be maintained for local residents; however, this might be required via diversion routes.

 

• Tuesday 19th March at A24 Saintfield Road junction with A55 Upper Knockbreda Road near Forestside Shopping Centre, Belfast. Two lane closure to allow exploratory works.
• Sunday 24th March 2024 at Prince Regent Road adjacent to the A23 Castlereagh Road, Belfast near the A55 Upper Knockbreda Road. Lane closure in Prince Regent Road to allow exploratory works.
• Sunday 7th April 2024 at A24 Saintfield Road junction with A55 Upper Knockbreda Road near Forestside Shopping Centre, Belfast. Two lane closure to allow a Trunk Main repair.
• Sunday 14th April 2024 at Prince Regent Road adjacent to the A23 Castlereagh Road, Belfast near the A55 Upper Knockbreda Road. Lane closure in Prince Regent Road to allow Trunk Main repair.

 

NI Water Area Manager Natalie Healey said: “These are major carriageways so lane closures are therefore necessary to allow NI Water to complete the emergency repairs safely. The depth of the pipe and the ground conditions mean these are challenging repairs and we also need to take into consideration other utilities in the area. As these are busy junctions on two of the busiest roads in Belfast, this also involves a complicated Traffic Management Plan to keep traffic moving while also allowing our work to proceed. 

 

“NI Water fully appreciates the frustration and inconvenience this will cause and apologise for the inconvenience. We realise that traffic and local residents will be affected but the NI Water team is working as fast as possible to complete this repair work by 14^th of April 2024 and we will do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum.”

ENDS

Media enquiries to the NI Water Press Office via email to press.office@niwater.com